Acoustical insulation panelling system



Jan. 1, 1963 J. F. STEPHENS ACOUSTICAL INSULATION PANELLING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 1, 1955 INVENTOR. Jose 0f; E fire afiems nrromex Jan. 1, 1963 J. F. STEPHENS ACOUSTICAL INSULATION PANELLING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1, 1955 R m m m Unite States Patent M souri Filed Nov. 1, 1955, Ser. No. 544,183

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-4) This invention relates to the suspension of acoustical insulation panels and refers more particularly to a suspended acoustical panel system employing deformable, yet semi-rigid acoustical tiles therein.

Conventional acoustical insulation panel boards or tiles are generally rigid, non-resilient and non-compressible pieces. Even in the instances when a fibrous mat, such as a glass fiber mat bonded with a plastic resin, has been employed, such mats have been of similar character, employing stiff, heavy glass fibers and comprising relatively high density compositions with a brittle punky structure. Conventional wall boards or insulating panels must be mounted essentially like any rigid construction element relative the wall surface which is desired to be insulated. Thus, if they are to be applied directly to a wall surface, adhe'sive or securing means applied individually to each panel must be employed. If it is desired to space such conventional acoustical panels relative or away from the wall surface (drop ceiling suspension systems), elaborate frameworks are necessitated, said frames requiring individual fixation of the separate tiles thereto by conventional securing means. Drop ceiling suspension systems are desirable in that they require no finished ceiling under them between the tiles and ceiling service elements as ducts, conduits, wires, etc. may be installed and, finally, acoustical tile with air space behind it absorbs sound more elficiently than tile fixed to a hard surface.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an acoustical panelling system employing a plurality of resilient, yet semi-rigid insulating tiles therein and cooperating suspending means for the tiles with which the tiles are engaged by deformation of the physical structure of the tiles themselves. Another object of the present invention is to provide an acoustical panelling system employing a plurality of resilient fiber mat acoustical panels and suspending means for spacing the panels relative a wall surface, the suspending means engaging the edges of the acoustical mats by virtue of the deformability and resilience of the mats themselves and not requiring any additional mechanical attachment therebetween.

Another Object of the invention is to provide an acoustical panelling system employing a plurality of resilient fibrous mats and suspending means for spacing said mats relative a wall surface which engage only the edges of said mats, the suspension means being entirely hidden from view by the mats they support.

Another object of the invention is to provide an acoustical panelling system comprising insulating tiles and suspending means therefor of a character which permit the selection of tiles of any desired size by varying the spacing of the suspension means relative themselves and wherein miscellaneously shaped and sized tiles may be employed to fit wall areas of the same character.

Another object of the invention is to provide an acoustical panelling system comprising a plurality of resilient, deformable, yet semi-rigid insulating tiles and suspension means therefor, wherein the character of the engagement between the insulating panels and the suspension means permits the employment of suspension means of a minimum size and wherein a plurality of the acoustical tiles are engaged by and suspended relative a single suspension element.

Another object of the invention is to provide an acous- Patented Jan. 1, 1963 tical panelling system suitable for employment as a drop ceiling suspension system which employs essentially fire resistant tile thereby permitting compliance with recent changes in fire codes requiring such materials.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

in the drawings, which form a part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, embodiments of the invention are shown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed to indicate like parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an acoustical tile suitable for use in the acoustical panelling system comprising the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a plurality of the mounting elements employed in the preferred form of the invention positioned relative ceiling furring strips.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a single one of the suspension means employed in the preferred form of the acoustical panelling system engaged with a single acoustical insulating tile suitable for use in the inventive panelling system.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a second modification of the invention showing a modified suspension means engaged by an acoustical tile suitable for use therewith in the practice of the invention.

The invention comprises an acoustical panelling system made up of a plurality of resilient, deformable, yet semi-rigid insulating tiles and suspension means for positioning the tiles relative wall surfaces, the system in combination providing a continuous panel of acoustical insulation. Two modifications of the invention are shown in the figures. The general nature of the acoustical panels suitable for use in the inventive system will be first described and the specific modifications of the invention as embodied in the suspension means and the inter-engagement of the tiles therewith.

The acoustical panels for insulating tiles which may be employed in the inventive panelling system must be resilient and deformable, yet essentially semi-rigid in character. Functionally, this description means that the tile must be deformable relative itself to decrease its dimension in any direction and yet be of sufiicient rigidity and resilience to snap back to its original shape after the deforming force is removed and, when returned to that shape, retain it even when being suspended only by the edges thereof. 1 have discovered that a resilient fibrous mat may be fabricated to these specifications. Such a mat is preferably composed of glass fibers having an average diameter of less than ten microns, and preferably about four microns randomly oriented in the mat. Glass fibers of the character described may be bonded together with a plastic, preferably thermosetting, resin to form this mat. A number of plastics are suitable for such a binder including phenol condensation products, melaamine resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, urea-melamine resins and vinyl chloride acetate resins. Such a binder is preferably employed in a ratio of 15 to 35% by weight of the thermal insulation or 17 to by weight based on the weight of the glass fibers. The fibers and binder, when bonded together to compose the mat, should form a mat having a density in the range of two to five pounds per cubic foot. FIG. 1 shows an acoustical insulation tile 10 formed from such a mat and having grooves 11 formed in the edges thereof. The grooves 11 are employed to engage suspending means of a character to be described. The grooves 11 may be varied in position and length on the edges of the mat relative one of the types of suspending means but the form shown in FIG. 1 is adaptable to all of the forms of suspension means disclosed in the specification. Such grooves may readily be formed in the edge of the mat by conventional molding practices.

Since drop ceiling installations are rapidly superseding the old type of acoustical tile adhered to a finished ceiling, it is important to note that fire code regulations require all tile used in drop ceilings to be of a fireproof nature. Tile that would burn does so much more readily and violently if there is an air space behind it. The tile disclosed is fireproof and meets the fire code requirements in addition to possessing the qualities set forth.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the preferred form of the acoustical tile suspension means having spacing arms 12 with screw portions 13 at the upper end thereof engageable with wall surfaces or furring strips 14 to be laid on wall surfaces and a plurality of acoustical tile groove engaging feet 15. Feet 15 are fixed radially to the outer ends of spacing arms 12. The radii of feet 15 are preferably equal to the radii of the acoustical tile grooves 11. Acoustical tiles as are shown in FIG. 1, with continuous grooves in the outside edges thereof, may be employed with the preferred modification of the suspending means. In this case, the groove engaging feet 15 only engage the corner portions of the grooves. Alternatively, tiles may be formed for this type of suspension means having grooves 11 positioned only adjacent the corners of the tiles and of a length essentially equal to the length of the groove engaging feet 15. Acoustical tile suspending means of this preferred modification may be employed having only three or two radial feet and with half section feet 15 or half or quarter section arms 12 to form the end and side pieces of a panel wall system, as is shown in FIG. 2. Such end and side pieces generally employ pointed rather than screw tips of arms 12. Depth washers 16 may be employed to regulate the extension of the spacing arms 12 from the wall surface and thereby to provide equal spacing distances for each suspension means. As may be readily seen by looking at FIG. 2, a suspension means of the preferred type may be engaged by only one acoustical tile (corner suspension), two acoustical tiles (edge suspending means) or four acoustical tiles (central support). As previously noted, the end and side suspension means may be formed in half and quarter section as shown in FIG. 1 so, when the tiles are fitted onto the groove engaging fget of the entire set of suspension elements, all of the groove engaging feet are completely hidden from view by the essentially continuous panel surface. Alternately, wall molding strips may be employed to retain and support the edges of the tiles at the panel boundaries. (Not shown.)

In operation, wood furring strips 14- may or may not be attached to the ceiling or wall surfaces and are spaced properly relative one another. Spacing arms 12, preferably having depth washers 16 thereon, are then screwed or driven into the wall surface or furring strips 14 or may previously be attached to the latter before mounting on the wall. The groove engaging feet 15 may or may not be detachable from the spacing arms 12 for easier mounting thereof. The distance between the spacing arms 12 of separate suspension means depends upon the length and width of the acoustical tiles. It may be readily seen that odd shaped or nonrectangular pieces may be employed by varying the attachment of the spacing arms 12 to the wall surface or the angles of the groove engaging feet 15 relative one another on the arm 12. After the suspension means have been attached to the wall surface, the acoustical tiles are deformed so that the grooves 11 thereof may be engaged by the groove engaging feet 15. Note that it is practically necessary to deform the tile in at least two directions, therefore requiring quite a great deal of resiliency in the tile itself. When the tiles have all been engaged on the feet 15, a smooth continuous, self-supporting acoustical panel has been provided completely covering the suspension means.

FIG. 4 illustrates an acoustical tile of the form shown in FIG. 1 mounted on a second modification of the suspending means. Here a plurality of engaging arms 17 form a grid of preferably rectangular partitions. The

arms 17 are suspended, preferably at their intersections, by spacing legs 18 having wall engaging plates 1% thereon. The engaging arms 16 shown are positioned centrally of the grid, but, as in the previous modification, the side and corner arm of the total grid frame may have only three or two arms 17 meeting at a junction respectively and the side and end arms 17 and spacing legs 18 may be in halfsection to permit complete enclosure thereof by the engaging grooves 11 of tiles 10. In a variation (not shown) it is also contemplated that no outside bounding arm 17 ring the grid, but, instead, wall moldings be employed to support the boundary tiles. It should also be noted that it is not necessary to have spacing legs 18 at each arm 17 junction as the provision of a few regularly spaced relative the total grid will sufiice. The radii of the arms 17 are preferably equal to the radii of the tile grooves 11 and the length of the grooves 11 are, of course, equal to the length of the arms 17.

In operation, the grid arms 17 are suspended by legs 18 from a wall surface or furring strips 14 attached to wall surfaces. It is, of course, not necessary that the grid partitions be rectangular in shape but only that the form of the tiles be congruent with the form of the partitions. After the grid is positioned relative the wall surface, the partitions between the engaging arm 17 are filled by deforming grooved tiles 10 to engage the arms 17 with the grooves 11 thereof. When all the partitions have been filled, an essentially continuous acoustical panelling surface will have been provided.

In both modifications of the inventive acoustical panelling system, the panel tiles may be removed from and replaced into the suspension means at will. Thi feature permits of access to the space above the tiles wherein heating, ventilating, and airconditioning ducts, electrical conduits for lighting or other purposes are normally disposed; thus making such equipment accessible. It further permit of the removal of the tile from the suspension means for cleaning or resurfacing and restoration to place in the suspension system without any disturbance of the elements of the latter.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the invention.

It will be understood that certain feature and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A panel system comprising a plurality of suspension elements fixed to a surface, each suspension element including spacing mean communicating with the surface and positioning a plurality of feet substantially radial to the spacing means away from said surface, the radial feet of the suspension elements defining therebetween a plurality of adjacent connected primary spaces having at least a portion of their boundaries defined by said feet, said primary spaces forming together a single panel area, a plurality of semi-rigid, resilient, deformable, yet shape retaining tiles, each of said tiles grooved in the edge thereof whereby to engage the radial feet defining one of said primary spaces, the tiles of such size relative the primary spaces that they are inserted into that each tile must deform and yield for the grooved portions in the edge thereof toengage and snap over the feet defining each said space, each tile of sufficient rigidity to return to and maintain its original form after being snapped over the feet despite the fact that it is supported only from the edges thereof, the non-grooved portions of the edges of the tiles overlying at least half the width of the feet which engage the grooved portions thereof whereby when all of the spaces are filled with tiles, all of the feet within the panel area are hidden from view by the tiles.

2. A panel system as in claim 1 wherein the feet defining the outer boundaries of the panel area are so formed as to be entirely overlaid by the tiles engaging them.

3. A construction unit for a Wall panel system comprising a pair of opposed suspension elements fixed to a surface, each suspension element including a spacing arm connected at one end to the surface and positioning a plurality of feet substantially radial to the spacing arm away from said surface, at least two feet of each suspension element defining therebetween a space having at least a portion of its boundary defined by said feet, a semirigid resilient, deformable, yet shape retaining tile, said tile having grooved portions in the edge thereof whereby to engage the feet of said element which define said space, the tile of such size relative the space defined by the feet that it must be deformed before the grooves in the edges thereof may engage the feet, the tile of suflicient rigidity to return to and maintain its original form after being snapped over the feet despite being supported only by the edges thereof, the non-grooved portions of the edge of the tile overlying at least half the width of the feet which engage the grooved portions thereof.

4. A panel system comprising a substantially flat grid of support elements defining a plurality of at least substantially enclosed spaces, each of said spaces having at least a portion of its boundaries enclosed by support elements, a plurality of semi-rigid, resilient, deformable, yet shape retaining tiles, each said tile of sufficient rigidity to return to and maintain its original form after being inserted in the grid despite being supported only by the edges thereof, each of said tiles having grooved portions in the edge thereof whereby to engage the support elements bounding one of said spaces, each tile of such size relative the space it is to be inserted in that the tile must deform and yield for the grooved portions in the edge thereof to engage the support elements defining said space, means for attaching said grid to a surface so as to space said grid away therefrom, the support elements and tile grooves so formed that, when all of the tiles have been inserted into all of said spaces, the panel system presents only the tiles to inspection, the grid being entirely covered by the tiles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 555,097 Hurd Feb. 25, 1896 748,746 Kelsey Jan. 5, 1904 1,857,490 Barrett May 10, 932 2,376,715 Naysmith May 22, 1945 2,401,906 Burnett et a1 June 11, 1946 2,450,911 Park et a1. Oct. 12, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 67,044 Netherland Dec. 15, 1950 9 4,427 Germany July 1, 954 

3. A CONSTRUCTION UNIT FOR A WALL PANEL SYSTEM COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SUSPENSION ELEMENTS FIXED TO A SURFACE, EACH SUSPENSION ELEMENT INCLUDING A SPACING ARM CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE SURFACE AND POSITIONING A PLURALITY OF FEET SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL TO THE SPACING ARM AWAY FROM SAID SURFACE, AT LEAST TWO FEET OF EACH SUSPENSION ELEMENT DEFINING THEREBETWEEN A SPACE HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION OF ITS BOUNDARY DEFINED BY SAID FEET, A SEMIRIGID RESILIENT, DEFORMABLE, YET SHAPE RETAINING TILE, SAID TILE HAVING GROOVED PORTIONS IN THE EDGE THEREOF WHEREBY TO ENGAGE THE FEET OF SAID ELEMENTS WHICH DEFINE SAID SPACE, THE TILE OF SUCH SIZE RELATIVE THE SPACE DEFINED BY THE FEET THAT IT MUST BE DEFORMED BEFORE THE GROOVES IN THE EDGES THEREOF MAY ENGAGE THE FEET, THE TILE OF SUFFICIENT RIGIDITY TO RETURN TO AND MAINTAIN ITS ORIGINAL FORM AFTER BEING SNAPPED OVER THE FEET DESPITE BEING SUPPORTED ONLY BY THE EDGES THEREOF, THE NON-GROOVED PORTIONS OF THE EDGE OF THE TILE OVERLYING AT LEAST HALF THE WIDTH OF THE FEET WHICH ENGAGE THE GROOVED PORTIONS THEREOF. 